Lock for radiator valves and the like



Oct. 23, 1928.

W. K. SIMPSON LOCK FOR RADIATOR VALVES AND THE LIKE Filed. Dec. 16, 1926 Patented Oct. 23, 1928.

I UNITED/STATES PATENT orrice.

ILLIAM smrsou, or wATnnBUnY, coNNEcTIcUT, AssieNon'ro HOFFMAN SPECIALTY COMIEANY, OF WATERBU ELLINOIS.

RY, CONNECTICUT, a CORPORATION or LOCK FOR RADIATOR VALVES AND THE LIKE.

Application filed. December 16,1928. Serial No. 155,326.

in the lobbies and corridors open to common,

use.

As customarily made, these air valves are provided with a threaded nipple which is screwed into a tapped hole in the radiator and constitutes the solemeans of attachment. They are therefore easily removable by simple manipulation and without the use of tools, for the structure of the valve itself provides enough leverage to enable a person of ordinary strength,by grasping the valve firmly in his hand,.to unscrew it. As such valves are valuable and command a "ready market, a strong temptation is presented to steal them from accessible and unguarded radiators. It is myobject toprovide a simple lock which can be applied to valves of this character as heretofore made, and without necessitating any change in the structure of the valve or of the radiator to which it is applied, whereby to prevent eiiectually the removal of thevalve by simple manipulation, and to require the use of a special tool. 5

The lock and its unlocking tool may be made of such very special character that only authorized persons may obtain such tools. While I have referred especially to radiator valves in the foregoingst-atement, and

shall continue to do so inthe following de-' tailed description, 1'. desire it to be understood that I do not thereby limitmy invention and protection to the combination and use with a radiator valve only.

In the drawings,-

Fig. 1 is a side-elevation of a fragment of a steam heating radiator, with an air valve applied thereto. shown in elevation, combined with a lock embodying this invention;

Fig.2 is an elevation of the base of the valve and the look as. seen from the right in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 1s a plan view of the valve and a partial plan-and fragmentary elevation of the lock and radiator taken on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. i is a plan view of the valve anda horizontal section of the lock detached from one another; I

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a'type of wrench suitable for setting up and releasing the lock;

Fig. 6 is a 1, showing a modified form of lock;

Fig. 7 is a cross section of the same on line 7. -7 or Fig. 6; Fig.8 is a view similar to Fig's'l and 6, showing-in side elevation still anotherform taken of lock applied to a radiator andradiator valve;

Fig. 9 is an elevationas seen from the right of Fig. '8 of the lock shown in that figure. f I 1 Like reference characters designate the same: parts wherever they occur in all the figures.

'Referring first to Figs. 14 inclusive, a'

represents an air valve of a standard make applicable to radiators of steam heating-eye terns. Within the meaningof steam-heating as used in this specificatioml includes all systems which employ air valves on the radiators, whether such systems are of the so-called vapor or low pressure type, or operate with high pressure 7 steam. b rrepresents a fragment of the end section of radiator to which the valve is applied.

view generally similar to Fig.

Connection of thevalve to the radiatoris I made bya threaded nipple a, which isgsecured to the base of the valve in a firm and rigid manner, having'a flange d attached to" the valve base -,byrivets e, or equivalentmeans. Thus the valve may be; screwed tightly in place by grasping it and turning it with the hand alone, and may be removed in the same manner. Even though it may be tightly screwed in place by the use of awrench, nevertheless the great leverage afforded by the long length of the valve casing in proportion to thediam'eter of the threaded nipple permits it to be removed by this sort of manipulation unless it has been'set up in rugged part of the valve.

the first place with exceptional tightness, or sealed in some manner.

The types of radiator in almost universal use are convex on their outer surfaces, and the tapped hole for receiving the nipple of the air valve, and the boss f surrounding such hole, are located in the convex surface of the endmost section of the radiator, usually at the middle, but in some types, at one side of the middle. I have taken advantage of these features of radiator con: struction in designing my lock. Inthe for'in shown in Figs. 1-4, the lock is a solid block it of metal having a hole a to admit the valve nipple 0, and having a central recess to receive the adjacent part of the valve casing-base. Preferably, this recess has contours adapted to admit the flange d and securing rivets e of the nipple, as clearly shown in. Fig. 4, so that the reaction of the block when its screw (later described) are set up against the radiator will be taken up by the nipple flange rather than by any less The wings or end portions of the block are adapted to embrace the base of the valve and enough to prevent rotation thereof except when the block is rotated with it. The central part or web of the block is made as thin as possible, consistently with the provision of adequate strength, in order not to prevent screwing of the valve nipple tightly into the tapped hole of the radiator. In the ends of the hlockare tapped holes 7: and Z adapted to receive set'screws m and n, and the outer ends of the passages through which the set screws pass are enlargedto form chambers 0 and 29, substantially larger than the set screws.

The lock is applied by first slipping it over the nipple of the valve when the latter is detached from the radiator. nipple is screwed into the tapped hole in the radiator until the joint between them is leakage tight and the valve is in the position required for proper functioning. 'The set screws are then advanced until they press against the surface of the radiator on each side of the boss and force the block back against the base of the valve. The ends of these screws may be pointed and hardened so that they will indent the surface of the radiator, but whether they do so or not, in any event the convexity of the radiator structure between the two set screws affords an obstruction preventing the valve and block from being rotated about the axis ofthe nipple.

j By providing the sockets or chambers 0, p, and .making the set. screws of such length that when set up against the radiator their outer ends are wholly within these chain hers, it is impossible either to set them up or release them without the use of a special tool capable of entering the chamber and Then theembracing'the head of the screw. Such a tool is shown in Fig. 5 as a socket wrench 9 having a socket r complemental to the end or head 3 of either set screw and having external dimensions adapting it to enter and turn within the chamber. While the form of the set screw head and socket 7" here shown is square, it isobvious that any. other form may be given to these parts, including one of such unusual and special character or dimensions that no one but an authorizedperson can secure suchtools. Y

. lVhen the set screws arefirmly crowde against the radiator'structure, they react on the locking block and the reaction of the latter is taken up by theflbase flange dot the valve nipple, which is made suiiiciently strong and rigid for that purpose and to avoid danger of distorting the valve casing; and the block is rigid enough to resist bending by the forces readily applicable in the atempt to unscrew the valve. The bulging of the radiator wall between the set screws,

or the indentation of the radiatorby the set screws, when such occurs, or both, strongly resist turning of the block about the, valve nipple, and the wings of the block embracing the valve casing prevent independent unscrewing of the valve. Thus removal of the valve by grasping it and manually turning it is effectually prevented and its removal is so strongly resisted by the blockthat if attempt is made to unscrew it forciblyby applying a wrench, the valve is liable to be so injured as to valueless.

The convergent inclination of the 'set screws, noticeable in Figs. 3 and 4;, is provided to make the screws bear on the surface of the radiator close to the boss. This adapts the lock to situations where the boss crease in the width of radiator surface which is embraced between them, and eitheror both of them may be madel'onger than the length shown to ensure contact with such surface in any conditions. However, the ordinary radiator constructions are ,sufliciently convex to afford an effective obstacle to rotation of become inoperative and the lock, when the point'sof the set screws are separated by the distance here shown, and tightly forced against the radiator.

In the modification shown in Fl 's. 6 and 4 b r, the lock h is a ring-shaped block-adapted to sllp over the end of the valve casing, and its aperture is preferably formed complementally to. the cross section ofthe; valve casing. It is equipped with set screws arranged substantially as before-"described, which bear on the adjacent. surface of the radiator and oppose unscrewing. rotation of the valve, both by the frictional resistance to their movement over the surface of the radiator wall and by the projection of a part of such wall across the path in which one of the screw points mustmove with, such rotation. I Still another possible form of lock is shown in Figs. 8 and 9, consisting of a block W having an aperture adapted to receive the threaded nipple of the valve, and equipped with set screws m and n arranged and operating substantially as in the case first described, but instead of the wings embracing the opposite sides of the valve casing,

this block is provided with a ledge or shelf 6 which underlies the bottom of the valve so closely as to prevent independent rotation thereof. In all forms of the invention here illustrated, the lock is a member provided with an embracing or engaging part in the path of some part "or the valve eccentric to the axis about which the valve must be turned in uncoupling it from the radiator, whereby independent movement of the valve is resisted; and such look also includes engaging points adapted to be forced against the radiator, with reaction against some part of the valve structure, so as to oppose resistance to movement of the block with uncoupling rotation of the valve. Evidently this invention may be applied to other cases in which one part or to and removable from a supporting structure by rotation about a given axis and is provided withsurfaces, or a surface, eccentric to .such axis and engageable with the locking device.

What I claim and desire Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a supporting structure and an accessory article applicable to and removable from such structure by rotation about a given axis, of a lock interposed between a portion of said article and the supporting structure, having means for applying force against the exterior surface of the supporting structure with reaction against the article, and an obstructing part interposed in the path of rotational movement of a por .ion of the article.

2. The combination of a supporting structure and an accessory article in screw threaded coupled engagement, adapted to be disengaged by rotation of the article, a locking block interposed between said article and structure, and f pressure applying means carried by the locking block arranged to bear against the supporting structure in external contact therewith, and to react through the blockagainst said article, the

to secured by block and article having inter-engageable I accessory is applicableabutting portions arranged to oppose independent rotation of the article about the axis of'its screw threaded engagement.

3. The combination of a supportingstructure and an article having a screw threaded nipple entering and engaged with said sup: porting structure, a locking block arranged betweensaid article a-ndstructure, set screws mounted in the block arranged to bei'orced against an adjacent surface of the supporting structure, the blocks being arranged to apply the reaction of said screws against the article and having means interposed in the path of a part of said article which is eccentric to the axis of its screw threaded nipple for resisting independent rotation of the article.

4. The combination with a heating radiator and an air valve having a nipple in screw threaded connection with the radiator, of a block interposed between the valveand the adjacentsurface of the radiator, and set screws mounted in said block adapted to be applied against the adjacent radiator surface, said block having av portion interposed in the path inwhich a part of said valve is constrained to travel when being unscrewed from the radiator.

5. The combination with a steam heating radiator and an ir valve having a nipple in screw threaded engagement with the radiator, of a locking block surrounding said nipple and having wings at each side thereof, and et screws passing through said wings adapted to bear against the adjacent surface of the radiator, the block being constructed to oppose independent rotationof the valve about the axis of its nipple.

6. The combination with a steam heating radiator and an air valve having a'nipple in screw threaded engagement with the radiator, of a locking block surrounding said nipple and having wings at each side thereof, and set screws passing through said wings adapted to bear against the adjacent surface of the radiator, to oppose independent rotation of the valve about the axis of its nipple,and the wings of the block having chambers within which the head ends of the set screws are received when forced against the radiator and by which such head ends are then surrounded.

7. The combination with a heating radiator and an air valve having a nipple in screw threaded engagement with the radiator, of a lockingblock interposed between the valve and the adjacent'surfac'e of the radiator and rranged to react against the valve when force is applied tothe block in thedirection away from the said adjacent surface, and set: screws mounted in said block adapted to be HO the block being constructed I forced against the adjacent radiator sur 7 face, the side of radiator having chambers surrounding the outer ends of theset screws and the screws the block away from the being of such length that, when set up against the radiator, their outer extrernltles are located in said chambers, said block havried by the block arranged to bear against the adjacent surface of the supporting structure at either side of the said protuberant part thereof and to react through the block against the article.

V9. The combination with a heating radiator having a cylindrical convex exterior surface and an air valve having a nipple in screw threaded connection with the radiator through said convex surface, of a. block interposed between .the valve and said surface, and separated set screws mounted in the block arranged to bear against the adjacent convex surface at either side of the part thereof which lies nearest to the valve, said block having portions interposed across the paths in which parts of said valve are constrained to travel when being rotated in either direction about the axis of said nipple.

In testimony whereof I have afliXed my signature. V

WILLIAM K. SIMPSON. 

